


Memorable Birthdays

by kickcows



Category: Bleach
Genre: First Meetings, Getting Together, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-16 16:08:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14814567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kickcows/pseuds/kickcows
Summary: The Kurosaki family heads up to their cabin by the lake every year. Ichigo hates going, until he bumps into an old family friend who makes the time away from the city more enticing.





	Memorable Birthdays

**Author's Note:**

> Here is my third offering for the UraIchi week over on tumblr! This is for day 4 prompt - Alternate first meeting and getting together. Cross-posted from my [tumblr](http://heartlessfujoshi.tumblr.com/) account. Please enjoy!

* * *

The first summer Ichigo could remember meeting his father’s best friend at their lake property a hundred kilometers outside of the city was the summer of his twelfth birthday. The man was someone that didn’t belong out in the peaceful wilderness. Mangy pale blonde hair, worn longer than any man he’s ever met before - chin length hair that flips outward. His father had introduced him as the man that had been responsible for him becoming the doctor that he is, and that without this person, he’d be nobody. He had probably sassed his father that afternoon, hating meeting any of his friends, especially when he’s stuck out of his comfort zone, no one his age to talk to. Which is why he pretty much blocked it out completely, because that summer had been one of the worst summers in his life.

After that horrible summer, Ichigo had refused to go back up there, preferring to spend his summer month off back in the city. His father had made arrangements for him to stay with friends, while his sisters went out to the lake with their father. He just didn’t want to be stuck as the ‘unruly teenager’ as he had heard his father call him. It wasn’t fair, and he was going to be the brat his father thought he was to the fullest extent.

That stayed the norm for the next four years - he’d see his father and sisters off, and then couchsurfed for the duration they were gone. But, the summer of his seventeeth birthday, his father had put his foot down, and insisted that he go with them. Too burnt out from his first year of high school, he had agreed on the condition that he could leave. His father had agreed, both of his sisters were gleeful that their big brother was finally going to go and play with them at the lake, just like he had when they were younger.

It had started off as an okay trip - his father left him alone, taking his sisters out for the day, returning home at almost dusk. Ichigo passed the time by reading, getting himself lost in the world of fantasy - of giant creatures, sirens that lure men to their deaths, and heroes that fall along the path to glory. It was easy to block out the world out, sitting on the porch with the book on his lap. Until the smell of cigarette smoke curtailed his happiness, an annoyed sigh leaving his throat as he slammed the book shut.

He dropped the book on the chair he had been sitting on, and walked down the few steps to the street, following the stench. He stopped a few houses down, a man sitting on the porch in a similar fashion that he had been - book on his lap, a serene look on his face. The one difference being the deathstick between his lips, the smoke creating a slight haze around him. Ichigo coughed into his hand, but the person ignored him, keeping their eyes on the book. He watched as the man put the smoke between two fingers, took a deep inhale, and then blew it towards where he stood, eyes staying on the book.

“What the hell is your problem?” Ichigo coughed more, eyes watering a little from the sting of smoke.

“I have no problem, Kurosaki-san.” His eyebrows raise up, shocked that this stranger knows his name. “I presume you came over here to tell me to extinguish this?” The man held up the smoke, an amused expression on his face. “What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?”

At that moment, a black cat jumped up onto the man’s lap, Ichigo slow to snap out of his surprise. Another inhale on the deathstick has him coughing more, covering his nose and mouth with his elbow until it clears before looking back at the man. “How do you know who I am?”

“You’re Isshin’s kid, aren’t you?” The cigarette is stubbed out in a half-filled ashtray. The cat on the man’s lap made itself comfortable, purring loud enough for Ichigo to hear it. “Your summer place is a couple houses over that way?”

“Yes, he’s my father.” He stood in his place, still trying to figure out just who this man is. Tilting his head, he openly stared at the man, trying to see something familiar when it hit him. “You’re Urahara.”

“Ah, so you  _do_  remember meeting me.” Urahara, the man that his father said was responsible for his becoming a doctor. “You haven’t come up here since then, have you? Been a couple of years?”

“Four.” Ichigo scratched the back of his neck, looking back down towards his house. “Anyway, I gotta go back. Try not to smoke over here if the wind is blowing towards our place.”

A soft meow brought his attention down, the black cat now rubbing against his leg. “She doesn’t take kind to strangers, but it seems like she likes you.”

“What’s her name?” Bending down, he began to pet the black cat, not noticing the owner had joined him. “She’s very pretty.”

“Yoruichi. She can be quite the feisty kitty when she wants to be.” Mangy blond hair came into Ichigo’s field of vision, his hand pulling away from the cat’s back when it felt like something had electrocuted him. Ichigo looked down, and saw Urahara’s hand now on Yoruichi’s back, scratching her right where his hand had just been. “Feel free to come by and visit with her.”

He stood up, wiping his hand off on his shorts, and gave a nod of his head. “I might. Thanks.” Ichigo turned around, and started to walk back to his family’s home.

“It is nice to see you again, Kurosaki-san.” Urahara called out to him.

He held up his hand in response, and walked up the path to his home. Looking at his hand, he wondered why it had felt that way when their hands had touched - maybe it had been electricity, the cat’s fur a perfect conduit. He picked up his book from the chair, and looked down the street. He saw Urahara watching him, the black cat standing on top of the chair, as he pet her back. He snapped his head, almost tripping over his feet as he walked back into his house, but not before he heard the sound of laughter travel from a few houses away.

Safe behind his closed door, Ichigo looked at the clock and saw that it was close to dusk. His father and his sisters should be home soon. He tried to remember what that man’s first name had been - he vaguely remembered their first meeting; or maybe it had been their tenth. They’d been coming up to this vacation home ever since he could remember, so maybe that time when he was twelve hadn’t been the first time.

The door slammed open, his father charging towards him in greeting. He held his arm out, and watched as his father ran right into it, and fell onto the floor, his sisters coming in behind him. “Hey, Ichigo. We picked up a cake for tomorrow.” Karin held up a plastic bag.

“We also got your favorite food!” Yuzu held up another bag.

“My son! My only son, who doesn’t care about me at all!” His father stayed on the floor, groaning.

Putting his foot on his father’s stomach, he walked over him to say hello to his sisters. “I’m sure it’ll be great. Thanks for always remembering my birthday. Unlike this guy.” He gave his father’s side another kick.

“I remembered!” Isshin groaned. “Kisuke told me you came by his place a little bit ago?”

_Right. Kisuke. Urahara Kisuke_. He gave a shrug of his shoulders. “So? That asshole was smoking, and it was bothering me.”

“You know that I smoke.”

“Yeah, and I hate you. So?”

Isshin began to cry. “Karin-chan! Your brother is so mean to me!”

“You deserve it.” His sister replied.

“What about you, Yuzu-chan? Do you think papa deserves this treatment?”

“Never!”

Ichigo rolled his eyes. “I’m going to my room. Let me know when dinner is ready.” He ignored his father, now a blubbering mess on the floor, and made his way down the hall to his bedroom.  He saw the book he’d been reading earlier sitting on top of his pillow, so he grabbed it and laid down, putting the book on his chest.

He didn’t open it to read it, instead choosing to rest his arms over it. He thought about the man who he’d gone to confront about his nasty habit, hating that he was questioning himself for being mildly attracted to him.  _Hormones_. That’s what it had to be. A healthy, virile seventeen year old male - about to turn seventeen in less than twelve hours - found anything and everything attractive. Even old men who he had no business finding attractive at all. Especially ones that were friends with his father. Gross.

Except, the seed had been sowed. And now, he couldn’t think about anything else except the way Urahara had looked smoking that cigarette. He surprised himself by the details in his mind - or maybe it was his overactive imagination; the way Urahara’s lips had puckered taking a drag on his cigarette. Or the way he’d looked when Yoruichi had sat on his lap, perfectly content to be with her human. The smirk that had been on his face when he’d said the man’s name.

Tossing the book to the end of the bed, he grabbed his pillow and screamed into it. Feeling mildly better, he put the pillow back where it belonged, and closed his eyes. Maybe a nap would free him from this strange nightmare. Rolling over, he drifted off to sleep, hoping that when he woke up these weird feelings would be gone.

***

The next day, his father announced that they would be having a barbeque to celebrate his birthday. Ichigo had told him repeatedly that he didn’t want anything over the top - one of the other reasons he preferred not coming up here over the summer. He hated being the center of attention, wanting to enjoy his birthday in peace. But no, his father had to make a big show about it, insisting that later in life he would be grateful for the fun birthdays. He had stormed out of the house at that, shouting that he’d be back in time for the stupid party.

He walked down to the lake, wanting to get as far away from his father as possible. The man had a knack for aggravating him faster than anyone else he knew. He could hear the ruckus still happening at his house, walking until the only thing he could hear was the sounds of the forest near the lake. He felt a sense of peace surrounding him, the tranquility of the forest and nearby lake helping to put his mind at ease. Taking a deep breath, he inhaled the fresh scent of pine and still water, and the unmistakable scent of cigarette smoke.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” He shouted, looking around for the source of the smell. Who in their right mind would be smoking in a place like this - destroying the natural smell of the forest. He started to look around, trying to find the source of the malodorous offender, and felt his stomach drop when he saw the culprit. “You.” He seethed, eyes landing on the man who had filled his hormone-induced dreams the night before.

Urahara took another drag on his smoke, and held up his free hand. “Do not be upset with me, Kurosaki-san. You asked me not to smoke near your home, so I removed myself from my own space to help you.”

“Why the hell are you smoking in a forest?” The man stared at him with a smirk on his face, taking another deep drag. “Why do you have to ruin it?”

“I thought you would be happy that you didn’t have to smell it from your house.” Urahara took one final drag, then stubbed it out on the bottom of his shoe. “I’ve never seen you wander out here, so how was I supposed to know you would come out here when I decided to have a cigarette?”

“You shouldn’t be smoking in the forest!” The anger he felt towards his father for the events of the morning seemed to be manifesting in this cathartic argument with this total stranger. “Don’t you know that could start a forest fire?” 

This time, the man openly laughed at him.  _Laughed_. Ichigo became red with anger, as he glared at the man, who looked extremely entertained by his antics. “What has got you so wound up right now, Kurosaki-san? Did you have a fight with your father? Your sisters?”

“None of your business.” He turned away from him. “Don’t smoke out here. I’d rather suffer than see this place burn because you are an idiot that can’t put out their cigarette.”

“I know how to take care of myself, as well as the forest.” Urahara fired back at him, the corner of his lip curling up. “You’d do well to remember your manners around your elders. Didn’t Isshin teach you better than that?”

“Elders!” Mock laughter rang out of his mouth, his arm going to his waist as he bent over. “That’s rich, old man.” Ichigo’s laughter stopped as he stood up. “Enjoy your not so fresh air.” He started to walk down to the lake.

He heard footsteps following behind him. “You didn’t tell me why you’re wound so tight? Is it because you got into a fight?”

“Why do you care?” The shore came into view, and along with it the summer residents who are having a nice afternoon by the peaceful lake. The more he looked around, the more he’d rather just duck back into the forest.

“Call me a curious man.”

“More like an idiot man.” He took another shot at the man, who nodded his head in agreement. Figuring it would do no good to keep deflecting him, he began to walk in the opposite direction of where the masses were gathered. “Yeah - it’s my old man. He’s giving me crap because it’s my birthday today.”

Urahara caught up to walk alongside of him, the two heading back toward the forest. “A momentous occasion, to be certain. How old are you this year, young Kurosaki-san?”

“Seventeen, going on forty.”

“If only.”

“Excuse me?” He turned, and stared up at the annoyance that he should have left behind twenty minutes ago. “What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing at all.” There was a fan in front of Urahara’s face now, covering the lower half of his face. “Seventeen, hmm? Such an important birthday.”

“Not you too.” Ichigo leaned against the trunk of a tree, taking a moment to stare up at the sky. “Who the hell cares. It’s just a day. Not like any of my friends are out here anyway.”

The fan is put away, the teen looking up at the sky to avoid looking at the man standing nearby. “Seventeen is an important year in anyone’s life. Humor your father, Ichigo.”

“Whatever.” He ignored the way his heart had jumped in his chest at hearing his first name. “It’s just a day.”

He slid down the trunk of the tree, and sat at the base, drawing his knees up to his chest. “You miss your mother.” Urahara stated, taking a seat nearby.

“It’s never easy on this day because of her.” His knee served as a headrest, as he tried to ignore the mixture of emotions in his head. “I know I’m not being fair to my father, but he can lay the guilt on pretty good.”

A hearty chuckle permeated the air, the crickets and grasshoppers beginning their nightly symphony as the sky began to turn darker. “He does like to dig into you.”

“How do you two know each other?”

“Your father and I go way back.” A smoke is pulled out, and this time, Ichigo gave a nod of his head, the man putting the unlit cigarette up to his lips. “We were in medical school together.”

Lifting his head up, he stared at the man as he lights his cigarette. “You’re a doctor?”

“I said we were in school together.” Urahara took a drag of his smoke, blowing it away from Ichigo’s face. “I never said I finished.” He smirked, the atmosphere a lot more relaxed. “I pushed him to finish though, so I should have just kept going.”

“Why didn’t you?” He didn’t know why he’s asking these questions, but it was interesting to learn more about this stranger. “What did you do instead?”

“Nothing of importance.”

Stars appeared above their heads, the last rays of light fading from the sky. Ichigo stood up, and brushed off his pants. “Thanks for this….pep talk.”

“Have a good birthday, Kurosaki-san. Be nice to your father.” He began to walk away when Urahara began to speak again. “Do you have a birthday wish?”

He snorted at that, but doesn’t spit something back out in anger at the mention of his old man. “Don’t burn the forest down tonight. I’d like a drama-free birthday. Wait until tomorrow.”

“If you insist.”

He made his way out of the forest, feeling a lot better than when he had gone in thanks to the random kindness of his father’s old friend.  _Kisuke_. He’s pretty positive that he’d met the man when he was a kid, but for whatever reason, that time a few years ago really stuck out. And now - now he was almost a little sad to be leaving his company.

His birthday dinner was a quiet affair, nothing too fancy - Karin and Yuzu both cooked for him, making sure to get his food just the way he liked it. His father, well - his father respected his space and didn’t embarrass him too much. Gathering up his haul of birthday presents from his family, he excused himself to head back to his bedroom.

“Oh, right. Kisuke left something for you, Ichigo.” His father said, as he helped his sisters pick up the plates off the table. “I put it in your bedroom.”

“Thanks.” He looked at his family, and smiled. “For all of this. This is one of my best birthdays yet.”

“It’s because we’re together!” Yuzu smiled brightly, which made Ichigo smile in return. “It’s nice that we can be together for it!”

“It is.”

Taking his cue, he went back to his bedroom, wondering what in the world that crazy man had gotten him. When he got to his room, he saw a neatly wrapped gift on the center of his bed. Setting the gifts his family had given him on his dresser, he picked up the item, and tore it open. He laughed, surprised by the thoughtful kindness that Urahara had shown to him, even after he’d been rude to him the day before.

Urahara had given him a copy of the next book in the series he’s reading, a little impressed that the man knew what he had been reading. And a little freaked out, because he hadn’t told him, so that meant he had looked over at him reading on the porch. Or, maybe he’d seen him walking around with the book. Whatever the case may be, the man had been watching him.

He dropped onto his bed, and looked out his window, which was opened a little to bring in the sweet smelling evening breeze. He inhaled, almost hoping to smell a bit of cigarette smoke there, but all he could smell was nature. Rolling onto his side, he closed his eyes, a small smile on his face. He’d meant what he’d said to Yuzu - this had been one of the better birthdays. It was nice spending it with his family.

But what made it a little more tolerable had been that visit out in the forest. He had just wanted to get away from the madness, and wound up in a different kind of madness. He wondered if it would be too immature if he walked over to his place in the morning to say thanks for the gift, or if he should just leave well enough alone. Thoughts of Urahara smirking and laughing replayed through his mind, as he began to drift to sleep.

***

Ichigo didn’t see Urahara again until their last night before heading back into the city. Not for the lack of trying, as he had taken walks both down the street and through the woods where they had met on the night of his birthday. Disappointment became a daily occurrence for him, when it had never mattered before. But on the last night, he was taking a walk down the block and could smell the acrid smell of cigarette smoke, and this time he wasn’t upset about it.

“Don’t you have a forest to burn down?” He walked up to Urahara’s porch, and saw him sitting with Yoruichi on his lap. She jumped off of him, and sauntered to where Ichigo stood, rubbing herself against his leg. “Evening, Yoruichi.” He scratched the back of her head, then slid his hand down her back.

“Tomorrow you head back to the city?” Urahara asked, taking another drag on his cigarette. “Has it been a nice summer, Kurosaki-san?”

“I guess.” Taking a seat on the top step of the porch, he waited for Yoruichi to jump on his lap, before resting his back against the pillar. “Quiet, quieter than it would have been back at home.”

“It’s nice to get away from the hustle of the city sometimes.” The cigarette is put out, Urahara standing up. “Would you care to come inside for some tea?”

His heart began to beat faster for some unknown reason. “Tea sounds nice.” He picked up Yoruichi, who didn’t fight it, and followed the man into his home.

Once the tea had been served, he looked over at Urahara, the mangy hair looking more attractive to him than it had before.  _Stop that_. He scolded himself, knowing that this silly crush meant nothing - just his overactive hormones. A cookie was offered to him, which he took without eyeballing it too much. He didn’t want to come across as rude to the man.

“Where’ve you been?” He asked, after eating the cookie. “I haven’t really seen you around.”

Urahara sipped his tea, a wiley smirk on his lips. “Have you missed me?”

“Tssch. Yeah, right.” He picked up another cookie, not really saying yes or no to the question that had been asked. “Did you run away from me?”

“What if I had?”

That is not something he had anticipated the man saying. “Get real.” He shook his head, taking another bite of his cookie before finishing it off with a swallow of tea. “Why would you do such a thing?”

“Because it was better for me to avoid you, than lead you down a path that wouldn’t be healthy.” Urahara kept his eyes on him, Ichigo surprised to see how blue they are in color - almost grey in hue. “No cigarette smoke to bother you.” 

Rolling his eyes, he finished the tea in his cup. Butterflies came to life in his stomach at the poor excuse the man mustered up. “It doesn’t bother me that much, Kisuke.”

“Oh, my.” The snap of a fan brought his head up to look across the way. He saw Urahara hiding behind that fan again, which made him snort. “You shouldn’t talk in such a fashion.”

“I mean it.” Ichigo leaned back, and stretched out his legs. “I guess I should probably head back. Got a little bit more packing to do.” He pushed the chair back, and gave a small bow to his host. “The tea and cookies were very nice. Thank you for your hospitality.”

He began to head towards the front door, when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. “Wait, Ichigo. I owe you an explanation.”

“You have nothing to explain to me.” Ichigo turned to face him, staring up into his eyes. “You said it yourself - you ran away. For what, I don’t know. I’m nobody. Just your friend’s kid.”

The hand on his shoulder was taken away, the hint of cigarette smoke clinging to Urahara’s hand, the smell more noticeable with it so close to his face. “You’re not that to me, Ichigo. Which is why I felt it best to keep my distance from you.” 

“Then why did you invite me in tonight?” He asked, a little confused. “I don’t understand why you would do something like that. I had fun talking to you on my birthday.” The confession surprised himself, but he kept his thought going. “I was hoping that we could have spent more time together like that.”

“I couldn’t watch you leave.” Urahara took a step closer to him, Ichigo’s heart beating a mile a minute as he stayed rooted to his spot. “I had a nice time that evening as well, and had hoped for another opportunity. But I am an old fool, and will probably stay that way for many years.”

His eyes began to close, listening to the way Urahara spoke. “Are you attracted to me, Kisuke? Is that what the issue is?” His mouth goes dry after asking the question, wondering to himself why he had bothered to ask such a bizarre question.

“Would it bother you if I said I was?”

Ichigo’s heartbeat escalated, cheeks beginning to burn with a blush. No one had ever said such a thing to him before. He never considered himself attractive, since no one at school really noticed him, so to hear Urahara confirm his suspicion, it threw him for a loop. “I would say you’re crazy, because you don’t even know me.”

“But it wouldn’t bother you.”

He looked away, knowing he was guilty of finding Urahara attractive himself. But again, he equated it to his teenage hormones, nothing else. “If it bothered me, then I would be a hypocrite.” If the man had the decency to admit why he’d run away, then it was the least he could to do to admit he had similar feelings.

“That’s very interesting to hear.”

Feeling embarrassed, he lifted his head to look up at Urahara. “I’m going to go now. Thank you for making my birthday memorable.” He took a chance, and leaned his head forward, brushing his lips just above the permanent five o’clock shadow on the older man’s face. “Goodbye, Kisuke.”

A hand slammed down on the wall next to his head, halting him from walking away. Turning his head, he fell into Urahara’s gaze. “You can’t expect me to not reciprocate that action, Ichigo.” Lips touched his cheek in the same spot that he had kissed Urahara, just a hair closer to the corner of his mouth, the soft lingering kiss making him exhale a soft moan. “Go home and finish your packing. See you next summer?”

Speech had become something he was unable to engage in, as Urahara dropped his arm. He nodded his head, and then quickly made his exit, his face feeling like it was on fire. He didn’t look back, didn’t do anything except raced down the road to get back home. His father had called out to him, but he ignored him, and headed straight to his bedroom. He looked in the mirror, and touched his face where Urahara had kissed him - he could feel the man’s lips on his skin, burning an invisible brand on his body, the scrape of his facial hair causing little bumps to appear on his face.

With a frustrated sigh, he started to grab the last few clothing items and shoved them into his suitcase. Urahara had essentially guaranteed his return the following summer with that little act. He wished he didn’t have to go home already. Every other summer when he’d come up here, he couldn’t wait to get home.

Now he wanted the exact opposite of that.

***

Close to the winter holiday, Isshin suggested that they head up to the lake for Christmas and New Years, saying it would be nice to get away from the city. “Why do we need to only go up there during the summer? We own the house!” His sisters agreed, and had it it been any other year, he would have said no. But the idea of possibly seeing Urahara again before the summer made him agree without any protesting.

They loaded up the car on the last day of school, and made their way to the lake, light snow falling as they traveled on the highway. As they drove down the block to get to their place, Ichigo looked out the window, and felt a stab of pain in his gut as they passed by Urahara’s place. It looked deserted.

It was a quiet holiday, the snow dusting everything with white. The lake was frozen, but not solid enough to go skating on. It was nice to look at though, Ichigo taking daily walks around it to get out of his house. He kept thinking about how foolish he was to have agreed to coming up here, when he could be back in the city, enjoying hot pot with his friends. It sounded nicer every day that passed, as he sat reading his books, hating that he kept hoping that Urahara would show up.

There were a few families that stayed up there during the summer also enjoying their winter break, so his sisters had friends to play with. His father entertained on a few nights, then would go to other houses, leaving Ichigo in charge of his sisters. New Year’s Eve rolled around, and Ichigo had been sequestered to his room as his father decided to host a few friends for the event. He had been reading his book for the second time on their trip when his father had shouted for him from the living room.

“Ichigo, could you please go with Kisuke to get some more wine? It’s seems we’ve run out.” His father laughed, pointing to the three empty bottles on the table.

He stood frozen, as frozen as the lake outside, as he stared at the group in the living room. Shock didn’t quite cover what he was feeling at the moment, as his eyes met Urahara’s across the room. He played it off, and looked back at his father as if nothing was amiss. “Sure, dad. Any kind you want?”

“Nope.” A set of car keys were tossed to him. “You remember how to get to the store from here?”

“I’m not an idiot.” He tried to keep his cool, as he walked over to the closet to get his jacket and gloves out. “Come on, Urahara-san.”

“Be back in a bit, Isshin. I’ll get the supplies.” Hearing Urahara’s voice again made Ichigo grip the keys a little tighter in his hand, as he headed outside, not bothering to wait for the man.

Unlocking the car, he got in and turned it on, needing to warm it up before they drove down to the store. He put the heat on full blast, and waited for the passenger door to open. Urahara sat down, the smell of red wine now present in the vehicle. Neither said a word to each other, Ichigo more nervous than he has been in a long time. He didn’t know what to say, so he just put the car into reverse, and began to drive to the store.

“No hello. No ‘how’ve you been’?” Urahara breaks the silence as Ichigo gets onto the highway. “I would have thought I would warrant one of those from you, Kurosaki-san.”

His hands gripped the steering wheel tight. “What am I supposed to say? ‘Hey, Kisuke. Been waiting for you to show up since a week and a half ago. Been thinking about you a lot. So nice to see you again.’”

“That would be a start.”

“I had no idea you would be here tonight, so forgive me for not taking it very well.” Ichigo turned off the highway, and drove towards the market all lit up.

“I usually spend my birthday in the city, but your father had mentioned he was coming up for the holiday.”

He put the car into park, and looked over at the blond, who was looking out the window at the shop. “It’s your birthday? On New Year’s Eve?”

“Also known as December 31st.”

Ichigo unbuckled his belt, and turned the car off. “Happy birthday, Kisuke.” He said it without stuttering, dormant butterflies returning to life in his stomach as he got out of the car.

They walked into the store together, Ichigo following behind him as they headed to the liquor aisle, where many people were grabbing their celebratory booze. Urahara grabbed four bottles of wine, and then a bottle of cognac, handing two bottles to Ichigo. He paid for them, and then they were back in the car, Ichigo turning it on to warm it up again.

“Have you really thought about me these past few months?” Urahara asked, breaking the silence as they sat in the parking lot. “Or was that a lie, Ichigo?”

Finding the car becoming abnormally warm, he fidgeted a little in the driver’s seat. “It wasn’t a lie. I have thought about you.”

“Were they perverted thoughts?” The teasing tone in his voice made Ichigo roll his eyes, but he kept quiet. “They were, weren’t they?”

He reached for the gear shift, but then stopped when he felt a hand touch his. “What do you want me to say, Kisuke?” He asked, pangs of nausea coming from his nervousness. “You know that I find you attractive, that I’ve thought about you a lot. Our afternoon in the forest, my last night up here.” Sealing the deal, he made one final confession. “About the way your lips had felt on my cheek. I’m a seventeen year old male. What do you think?”

“Would you like to know what my birthday wish is, Ichigo?”

Not surprised by the man changing tactics, he gave a nod of his head. “Sure, Kisuke. What is it you want for your birthday?”

“I would love to receive a kiss.” Ichigo looked over at him, and saw him staring directly at him. “A kiss on the lips. From you.”

“We can’t.”

“It isn’t that we can’t, it’s that we shouldn’t.” Urahara reached over, and put his hand on his arm. “But, I’ve never been one to abide by certain rules. Rules were made to be broken among consenting adults.”

It sounded like they were bargaining with one another right now, and Ichigo was having a difficult time trying to wrap his head around the conversation. “You’re drunk, Kisuke. It’s your birthday, and I need to get us back to the house before more drunk people start to drive.”

“I am not drunk. Your father, and the other neighbors have been imbibing all evening. I have had one glass of wine. I don’t care about being inebriated.”

All of his excuses were disappearing out of thin air. Of course he’s thought about kissing Urahara, kissing him on the lips, wanting to know what it would feel like. Hell, he had kissed a few people back at school in between the summer break and winter break, but no one had made him feel the way that the man sitting next to him did. Curiosity was getting the best of him, as he thought about what this would mean.

“Why?” He asked, leaning his shoulder against the driver’s seat, as he looked over at Urahara. “Remember - we hardly know one another. Why don’t you want a kiss from someone that isn’t me?”

“You ask the right questions, Ichigo. Sometimes it might be better to just take a leap forward, and see where it lets you land.” Urahara moved closer to the center, Ichigo’s defenses lowering more as he starts to inch closer himself.

Closing his eyes, Ichigo tilted his head when he felt his passenger’s warm breath heating his own lips.  _Now or never_. He pushed his reservations aside, and took the leap, hoping that he’d made the right choice. The moment their lips touched, he knew he had.

Urahara’s lips were softer than any lips he’s had the pleasure of kissing, his lips molding to his perfectly. The kiss grew more intense, to the point that Ichigo found himself climbing over the center console to park himself on Urahara’s lap, the side of his leg pressing up against the locked door.

Hands slipped under his coat, Ichigo pulling away from the kiss with a low groan. “Your hands are freezing…” He murmured, forehead touching Urahara’s. “Hurry up and get them warm…”

“Trying…” Urahara pushed on his back, Ichigo’s head moving down to be lip locked with him again. He moaned into his mouth, as their tongues reacquainted themselves with one another, after having touched moments ago.

The need to breathe forced him to end the kiss, heavy breath falling from his lips as he looked Urahara in the eyes. “Is that what you wanted for your birthday, Kisuke?”

“Is it what you wanted for yours?”

“Yes.” Ichigo doesn’t hide the fact that he’d wanted Urahara for quite some time. “But I was too shy to take it. I’m sure you would have accepted it that night.”

“You are correct.” Nodding his head, Urahara keeps his arms around Ichigo’s body, the two not moving at all. “But, I am glad that it happened now.”

“That’s good.” He lifted himself up off of his lap, and moved to sit back down in the driver’s seat. “We need to head back.”

“We do.”

With reluctance, Ichigo put the car back into drive, and made his way back towards the highway. The car was nice and toasty now - from the heater, or from their quick kisses, he’s not really sure. He pulled up to his house a little while later, and put the car into park, but did not turn it off. He looked over at Urahara, who had a thoughtful look on his face.

“What is it?”

“I expect the rest of the night will be spent in revelry.” Urahara sighed, and picked up the bottles off of the floor. “If you’re not tired, feel free to come over to my place.” He opened the door, and exited the car before Ichigo could give him an answer.

He waited a few minutes, mulling over what had been suggested. Turning off the car, he went inside and gave his father his keys back, then said goodnight to everyone, and wished them a preemptive happy new year before heading back to his room. He closed the door, and sat on his bed cross-legged, watching the clock tick towards midnight. The sounds of the party grew to a maximum right at midnight, everyone shouting with the new year. Doors opened and closed an hour later, and then he heard another door close a half hour after that.

Bundling up, Ichigo left his house by the way of his window, and walked down the block to Urahara’s place. If it was cold, he couldn’t tell because of the excited energy he couldn’t get rid of. He stood at Urahara’s door, and then gave a light knock on it, his face breaking out into a smile when Urahara opened it almost right afterwards.

“Not tired?” Urahara stood to the side of the door, Ichigo walking into his home with a shake of his head. “I am very happy to hear that.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing here.” Ichigo gave his coat to him, as the two made their way over to the couch. “I guess I wanted to see you again, in case you disappeared. You did run away again.” He teased the man, as Urahara sat down next to him on the couch. “So not fair, Kisuke.”

A warm hand touched his thigh, Urahara giving it a little squeeze. “Yet you are here, so I suppose my gamble worked too.” His hand slid up, and without hesitating, Ichigo sat himself back onto the man’s lap as he’d been in the car, but this time with no restrictions.

“Can we kiss more?” He asked, feeling like a silly teenager.

“We can do whatever you’re comfortable with, Ichigo.” Urahara nodded his head. “Kisses, touches, hugs - give me all of them, and I will give them to you in return.”

His body grew warm at the invitation, his head lowering to start off with a few kisses, that soon turned into tongue kisses. He moaned into Urahara’s mouth, rolling his hips as his hormones began to take over. He knew in the back of his mind that he was the one in control right now, even if it felt like he wasn’t. He kept going with the flow, groaning when he heard Urahara make his own pleasure-filled noises. It was incredibly satisfying to know he could make the man feel the same way he did, as the lust for more burned through his veins.

Panting hard, he rested his cheek against Urahara’s, the comfort of his arms around his body feeling better than any touch. “I wish I knew what we were doing.”

“Sometimes it’s okay to have no plan, Ichigo.”

“I know. But the more I kiss you, the more I want it to go further. We’re heading back to the city in two days, and won’t be back until the summer. So, I have to wait to do this again until then?”

Lips began to touch the side of his neck, a soft moan leaving his throat as he felt Urahara’s beard scratch against his sensitive skin. “Then, we’ll go as far as you want. When we see each other again, we can do whatever you want.”

“Why?” He whispered, still trying to understand why this was happening. “Why do you like me, Kisuke?”

“Because you are intelligent beyond your years, have a certain feistiness that is rare, and I feel a connection to you that I’ve never felt with anyone before.”

He pulled his head back to stare into Urahara’s eyes. “You know, for a pick up line, that’s pretty believable.”

“It’s the truth.”

Ichigo knew it was, because he felt the exact same thing. Slipping off of his lap, he held his hand out to him. “Can we go lay down?”

The smile on Urahara’s face made his stomach roll, as he is led to the man’s bedroom. The two lay on top of the covers, learning how to get situated with each other’s bodies, as they kept kissing each other. Ichigo closed his eyes, and laid close to him, not interested in going any further than what they’re already doing. It felt nice to not be pressured into doing something he didn’t want to do, the respect that Urahara showed him he reciprocated in kind. He’d never laid with someone before, and to fall asleep in his arms had been as natural as breathing.

When he woke up, he saw Urahara was watching him with a soft smile on his face. “Good morning, Ichigo. You will probably need to go home soon.”

“Mmm…” He stretched a little, his mouth feeling a bit swollen from all of the kissing they’d done the night before. “Right. My old man.”

“Correct.”

Ichigo rolled over, so that he was laying directly on top of Urahara, their noses touching. “A few more kisses before I go?”

“You are the one in control.”

Their kisses started off soft, but soon grew into heady kisses, their hips aligned. His moans grew pitched as they began to rock back and forth, the act of rubbing against one another with their clothes still on feeling so damn good that he couldn’t stop even if he wanted to. His body had a mind of its own, and rather than be scared, he went with it and found himself humping his body against Urahara’s.

His eyes connected to his as he felt himself getting closer to coming, his brain short circuiting as his knees dug down into the mattress. “Kisuke…”

“Yes, Ichigo…. Don’t be afraid…”

He reached his summit, warmth flooding his boxers as he began to come, his hands holding onto Urahara’s for dear life. He heard him groan low, more warmth growing on his groin, as he felt Urahara reach the same place as him. He lifted his head, grinning as he looked into Urahara’s eyes, the two of them sharing a similar smile.

A few more soft kisses were exchanged, and then Ichigo moved off of him, adjusting himself a little as he stood up. “I guess I’ll be going now.”

“See you in July?” Urahara asked, standing up from the bed.

“July.” Ichigo nodded his head. “Seems like it’s so far away.”

“It will be here before you know it.” Urahara cupped his face, as they stood by the front door together. “And when we see each other again, maybe more leaps will be taken.” A kiss was pressed next to his ear. “Thank you for making my birthday a memorable one this year, Ichigo.”

“It was my pleasure, Kisuke.” He smiled, and gave him one final kiss before heading back out into the cold winter morning.

As he walked back to his vacation home, Ichigo knew that no matter what would happen in the future, he was glad that he wasn’t too scared to go with the flow. Urahara may be his father’s friend, but he was now something more than that to Ichigo. If nothing happened in July, he would be sad, but he would understand. The moments that they shared were special enough. What would happen on his next birthday was anyone’s guess, but for now - he’d live with the memory of making Urahara as happy as he’d made him on his own birthday. Nothing would ever change that.


End file.
